American University

Intro course -build a foundational understanding of strategic communications. Examine communication campaigns, public opinion, the role of research, the media, audience identification, message development, communicating to various audiences, and the ethics of persuasion.

Explores the relationship between audience, message structure, and medium through exercises in strategic writing and the development of a professional writing portfolio. Develop skills in drafting, editing, and polishing strategic comms including plans, news releases, social media, op-eds & more.

Introduces quantitative and qualitative research methods in communications. 

Understand the integral roles digital and social strategies play for organizations. Prepares strategic communications students to obtain certifications in social media monitoring and digital analytic platforms (such as Meltwater and Google Analytics)

Employ digital marketing strategies and tools to amplify multi-channel PR and strategic communication efforts. Topics include search engine optimization (SEO), different forms of digital adversting (SEM, Native, Social, Video Display Ads). Students earn google ads certification 

Develop an understanding of practical management and leadership practices in the field of communications. Develop an understanding of theoretical management and leadership practices in the field of communications. 

Explore how organizations can employ digital strategic communications in their public relations outreach. Examine search engine marketing, mobile comms, and viral campaigns, and features case studies , use of social media tools, and lectures led by experts in various fields.

Gain the necessary knowledge of preventing crises through proactive communication and effective crisis communication management. 

Explores a wide range of theoretical and conceptual frameworks for understanding public communication, or communication in the public sphere. Reviews relevant theories of public communication. 

The capstone project explores learnings about the processes and effects of public communication by developing and supporting a thesis statement, advancing an idea, researching and writing or creating a final product.